


Emergency Contact

by PalestAzure



Category: Red Carpet Diaries (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Humor, Interracial Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-08
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:34:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22174138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PalestAzure/pseuds/PalestAzure
Summary: Delphine is contacted as Thomas Hunt’s emergency contact when an accident occurs.
Relationships: Thomas Hunt/Main Character, Thomas Hunt/Main Character (Red Carpet Diaries)
Kudos: 3





	1. 10:24 p.m., Friday

**Author's Note:**

> She had been binging a new series on Netflix for the past two hours. After a long day of table reads and script adjustments by the director of her new film, Delphine wanted to spend her time with nothing much on her mind. It was a time to release all stress, insecurities, and anxieties about her new project. 

_Anxiety_. 

She could not shake this feeling. It had nothing to do with the film. It had all to do with _him_. 

She tapped her finger rhythmically against her phone. This was her usual anxious twitch. She was no longer paying attention to the events on her TV screen. She hadn’t for the past hour. Her mind wandered to Thomas Hunt, the man whom she had been dating for the past six months. The man whom she spoke to on most nights before bed whether on the phone, against his warmth in the bed they shared, or through the rarity of a few simple texts. It had become their routine for the past month, a promise:

_Let’s promise, no matter how busy we get, we will always make time for us, even with just a simple call on the phone._

She remembers how his eyes grew soft at her request, the edges of his mouth turning up as they reached the corners of his eyes to reveal a warm smile. Then, she remembered the reassurance of his voice, “That wouldn’t be too unreasonable.” Thomas suddenly lifted Delphine up into his arms, holding her tightly against his body. She teasingly told him to put her down. Then, he kissed her; and she kissed back, sealing their promise to each other. 

But that was then.

She had not seen him all week due to their busy schedules, and this was the first night during the week that there was no call. No text. Nothing. They always took turns contacting each other. It was Thomas’ turn this week. Sometimes she would not talk to him until after midnight, but that night, something felt off. She knew how he was when he was busy, but she couldn’t shake the anxiety. She couldn’t focus. She barely had touched the dim sums she ordered for dinner. Was she overreacting? 

_Damn it, Delphine. This is no time to be acting all codependent. I’m sure he just hit his aha moment._

Thomas had been working on new script ideas, which meant he was much more distracted and consumed by his work. His passion and perfectionism for his craft is what Delphine admired so much about him. However, even during these peak busy moments, she always knew they would catch up at some point in the evening even if it was just them telling each other, “I just wanted to say goodnight.”

Yet, nothing came on her phone. The last text message was two weeks ago with her telling him she was going over to his place. The last call was last night, when they caught up on each other’s days for over an hour. Perhaps he was coming over, but he didn’t tell her. She scanned through her voicemails. Nothing new.

_Something’s not right. Something doesn’t feel right._

Even though he said he’d call, Delphine decided to take action herself. She quickly selected Thomas among her favorites in her contacts, and waited for the ring on the other end. It went directly to voicemail. Her finger tapped more quickly against the back of her phone. A voicemail wouldn’t hurt at this point.

“Hey, stranger. I thought I’d break the cycle and call _you_ tonight. I hope you’re making some great progress.” She tried to not sound concerned. Her tone soon turned flirty. “But if I don’t hear from you tonight, expect some sort of punishment when I see you tomorrow. I hope to hear from you soon.”

She hung up and placed her phone on the coffee table in front of her. She tried to turn her focus to the TV, but she saw nothing but moving blurs. 

Her phone’s ringtone broke her from her trance. _That was fast!_ However, when she looked at the screen, it flashed an unknown number. Her chest immediately felt tight. She reluctantly answered.

“Hello. Is this Ms. Delphine Reyes?”

“Yes, it is.”  
  
“My name is Irene. I’m a nurse at Clemency General Hospital. I am calling in regards to Mr. Thomas Hunt.” 

_No. No. No. No._

“Mr. Hunt had an accident. He had you listed as his emergency contact.”

_He had a what?_ Delphine felt the strength in her core that kept her sitting up straight weaken. Her chest felt as if it was closing in and crushing her. She grasped the seat of the couch to keep herself from falling over completely. Her phone begin to slip from her fingers.

“Ms. Reyes? Are you still there?”

_Please tell me he’s okay._ “Uh…. yes. Is he okay?” Her voice strained to utter “okay.”

“He is fine, but he will need assistance going home.”

She should have felt relieved, but she could not ignore the squeezing sensation in her chest. She started to inhale and exhale deep, long breaths. _It’s ok. He’s ok_. 

“Ms. Reyes?”  
  
“Sorry. Yes. Could you tell me what happened?”

“I’m sorry. I’m not at liberty to disclose that information to emergency contacts.”

_Not at liberty?_ She couldn’t hold herself up anymore, and she dropped to the floor. 

“Ms. Reyes? Will you be able to come to the hospital?”

Delphine’s mind was racing with images of various scenarios of conditions Thomas could be in. She felt embarrassed to think she would be able to know such intimate details in these situations. They were only dating after all. All she had to hold on to were the words “he is fine,” but they were not enough to keep her from her fears. She did not know what condition she would find him in when she arrived. 

“Ms. Reyes?” 

“Yes, of course. I’ll be right there. Could you please provide me with the information?”

Delphine realized that her feelings were justified, and this scared her the most.


	2. 11:43 p.m.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Delphine is contacted as Thomas Hunt’s emergency contact when an accident occurs. What happens when she finally arrives at the hospital?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My headcannon is that Thomas and Delphine are bilingual due to both being multicultural. Thomas can speak Italian and Delphine can speak Spanish.

When the car approached the emergency entrance to the hospital, Delphine hurriedly thanked the driver, jumped out, and raced through the entrance. 

_Emergency ward. Floor 2. Room 254. 2. 5. 4. 2. 5. 4._

She rushed inside until she found an elevator. For a moment, Delphine couldn’t remember which button to press. The arrow up or the arrow down. Her mind was racing with thoughts of Thomas being alone and injured. Nothing but questions entered her mind, and they all made her feel helpless.

The elevator door opened and she hurried inside, first pressing the “2” button and then repeatedly pressing the button for the doors to close. Once the elevator stopped and the doors opened, she followed the signs to the area with the rooms 250-260. The rooms were organized in a circular space with the nurses station in the center.

“Miss, may I help you?” a nurse asked from behind the counter. Her blonde hair was in a pixie cut. She wore purple cat-eye frames that complemented her diamond-shaped face. 

“Uh, I’m looking for Thomas Hunt.” Delphine’s finger nervously tapped against the side of her thigh.

The nurse paused and stared at Delphine with large, wide eyes. Then her mouth was agape in shock.

“You’re Delphine Reyes! I cannot believe this! I’m sorry. I didn’t recognize you at first.” The nurse walked out from behind the counter and grabbed Delphine’s hand. “It is such an honor to meet you! I love your movies. I don’t know which is better: _Tender Nothings_ or _The Last Duchess_. God, I love them both so much!”

Since her last film and the downfall of Viktor Montmartre, it had become more common for fans to recognize her on the street or in places she frequented. However, at that moment, it was unexpected and unwarranted. Delphine immediately felt herself become irritated due to this nurse holding her up from getting to Thomas.

“Um, thank you, but…” Delphine started, but the nurse continued babbling on about the worldwide famous actress standing before her. Then, she pulled out her phone from the pocket of her dark blue scrubs.

“Could I have a picture with you? My friends will not believe my luck today!” She looked Delphine up and down. “You know, for a star, I would think you would appear a bit more…” Delphine looked down and noticed that she was still in her pajama pants and oversized sweater. Changing her clothes was not something Delphine had even considered. Once she received the news about Thomas, she bolted out as fast as she could. 

Delphine not only immediately felt a rush of embarrassment, but now her irritation turned to anger. She tried to maintain her composure as best as she could. “Listen, I really need to see Thomas Hunt. A nurse called me and…”

“Mr. Hunt? Of course! So, is the gossip true then? Are you two really dating? I can’t get enough of the pictures Gossip Hollywood put out of you two, even though there are only a few. I mean, if you are dating, you’re such a beautiful couple.”

Delphine and Thomas were taking things slow. She remembered him telling her that she was worth waiting for. They both decided to lay low from the public view and rarely went out together. They spent much of their downtime visiting at each other’s homes. When they did go out, it was usually for coffee or a drive outside of Los Angeles in Thomas’ car. But that didn’t stop the paparazzi or fans from taking some pictures and spreading the new gossip around Hollywood.

“You know, you look so exotic next to Thomas Hunt.”

Appalled, Delphine placed her hands inside the pockets of her pajama pants. She didn’t trust herself from snapping and punching this woman’s face. Being called exotic wasn’t–unfortunately–an unfamiliar comment directed towards her, but it was a form of othering that she never learned how to properly react to.

Delphine balled her fists, her face turning a hot red. She took a deep breath. Delphine looked down at the young woman’s badge and read the name _Cathy_. “Look, Cathy. Where is Irene, the nurse who called me?” Delphine tried to see if she could receive assistance from someone else. Someone more professional. 

“Oh, her shift ended about 20 minutes ago. I am here with another nurse who’s checking on a patient.”

As Cathy continued ranting on with her intrusive inquiries, Delphine scanned the room numbers. _Forget this. This woman is creeping me out._ Delphine ignored the nurse and walked towards the rooms looking for 254.

“Ms. Reyes! Wait!” The nurse followed after her. 

Ignoring her, she found the room. Before she could even reach for the door, another nurse walked out. Delphine nearly collided with her.

“Whoa, miss. You can’t be in here.” The second nurse directed. She was much taller. Her long black hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her face was round and accented with similar round eyes. 

“Thomas Hunt is in there, isn’t he? They called me.”

“Miss…”

“Delphine Reyes! This is THE Delphine Reyes, August!” Cathy exclaimed. 

August turned to Cathy, giving her a stern look. This happened to shut Cathy up. “Cathy, take these and chart them while I explain the situation to Ms. Reyes.” Cathy followed August’s orders, and disappointedly returned to the nurse station. 

August began guiding Delphine away from the door. 

“I’m here to see Thomas Hunt.”

“Yes. We were expecting your arrival. Unfortunately, you cannot go inside. You’re not family.” 

_You’re not family._ Those three words punched her in the stomach, almost knocking the breath out of her.

“But Thomas, he’s…” Delphine didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know how to define their relationship. 

“Is he your husband? Brother? Father?”

Delphine shook her head. 

“Then, you’re not family. I know you think that you’re this big shot Hollywood star who can walk in here and do as she pleases, but we have to follow protocol, and…”

Delphine cut her off before she could continue. She now began to glare at August angrily. “I _don’t_ appreciate that assumption.” There was a hint of irritation in her voice. “That is not even what I’m doing here. The hospital called _me_ to come down here. Now, I can’t even see him?”

“Ms. Reyes, as Mr. Hunt’s emergency contact, you will just have to wait over there in the waiting room. We thank you for coming down. We will let you know when he wakes up.”

_Wakes up? What is going on?_

“Is he all right? Can I just see him, please? I just need to know that he is all right?”

“Miss, please. Everything is fine, but I cannot tell you about his condition nor take you to his room. You need to understand that this is for the protection of our patients and for Mr. Hunt’s own privacy.”

Delphine just stood in silence, unable to respond. She honestly did not know what to say anymore. She was only the emergency contact after all. What influence did she have over the situation, over something as simple as just being allowed to see him? 

August led Delphine to the waiting room. “Please wait here. If you need a snack or a drink, there are vending machines down the hall.”

August walked away and returned to Cathy. They started chatting about something as both of their eyes glanced over at Delphine multiple times. Annoyed, Delphine sat down in a place where they could not see her. There were only two other people in the waiting room, but they didn’t seem to notice her at all, thankfully. 

Being left to wait was the catalyst for her. Tears began to swell in her eyes from her frustration. Delphine thought about texting someone. Victoria was shooting on location in New Orleans. Things had become awkward with Seth since she started dating Thomas. Chazz was working in Ethan Blake’s new agency, and he was out of town in San Francisco making some deals with a new client. She could contact either Teja or Matt. Maybe one of them could come sit with her. She needed a friend. But when she pulled out her phone, she hesitated to type a message. Thomas was all about privacy, and she knew he wouldn’t want anyone to know he was there. She wanted to respect that, so she put her phone away instead.

Perhaps she could go down the hall instead. She needed to do something. Walk. Stare at the options in the vending machine. Something to distract her and help her calm down. As she stood up to leave, she noticed that August and Cathy were gone. Those two had been unhelpful and rude ever since she arrived. This made Delphine feel entitled to do what came to her mind next. 

She checked the hallway. Empty. She looked around the waiting room. One of the visitors was watching the TV, while the other had fallen asleep in the chair. This would be her opportunity to sneak into Thomas’ room. 

Delphine slowly walked towards room 254. The area was still clear. She made it to the door, quietly turned the knob, and entered. She slowly closed the door behind her while trying not to make a sound. Once the door was closed, she realized that she had been holding her breath the entire time, and she let out a sigh of relief. 

The room was dim, but she saw Thomas propped up with a few pillows behind his back in the hospital bed. He was shirtless, with his left arm in a sling. Only the light next to his bed was on. He was fast asleep. Her heart raced by just the sight of him.

Delphine whispered, “Thomas?” Nothing. She felt the tightness in her chest return. Seeing him there, damaged and vulnerable, fed her anxiety and fears. She stood by the side of his bed, running her fingers through his hair. 

“Hey, sleepyhead. This night has been something else, but more so for you.” Thomas didn’t move. She continued caressing his head and stared down at his face. It was as if she were looking at him for the first time, memorizing every feature, every contour, every color, every texture, of his face. Her eyes stopped on a scab forming on his lip. She gently ran her finger along his bottom lip and over the injury. _It looks like you bit yourself a good one. Oh, Thomas, what happened?_

She scanned his exposed upper body looking for any other injuries. He had an ice pack on his shoulder, but she could see the bruising underneath. Thankfully, she saw nothing else. No cuts. No scrapes. No additional bruising. No incisions or punctures. His arm wasn’t even in a cast, so it didn’t look like anything was broken. That was a good sign. 

Although the room was warm, she thought to find Thomas a blanket. It didn’t help that he was lying on top of the bed’s blanket, so she went over to the cabinet across from the bed. Next to the cabinet was a chair. His shirt and jacket were draped over its back, well, what was left of them. Delphine picked up the jacket and examined the damage. _They must have cut you out of this rather quickly._ Just the sight of his clothes made her tear up. She buried her head in his jacket for a second to help her maintain her composure. She couldn’t let go. Not yet. She had to stay strong for him, for when he finally awoke.

Putting the jacket back down on the chair, she opened the cabinet and found some extra blankets. Grabbing one, she draped it over Thomas, then slightly adjusted the ice pack on his shoulder. Delphine heard a low moan. 

“Thomas?” There was still no response. This pained her. She didn’t know what happened. She also couldn’t trust the nurses outside to help her because she was breaking the hospital’s protocol. And she also didn’t like them. At all. 

Delphine took a seat next to Thomas on the bed, facing him. She held his hand, stroking the back of it. She sat in silence for a moment, hoping in some way she was comforting him, but thankful that he was alive. 

“I wish I knew what was going on.” Delphine began speaking to him as if he were able to hear every word she was saying. 

“I should seriously make a formal complaint about those two nurses out there. They are…” Certain profanities ran through her head. “…not making this situation any easier. God, I hope they are treating _you_ well at least.”

Delphine leaned forward and rested her head against his chest. She gave his bare skin a quick kiss and cuddled close against his warm body. The steady rhythm of his heart beating helped ease her mind a bit. 

She tried not to get too comfortable. A part of her was anxious that someone might find her there. Her mind was racing with all of the possible outcomes. One was being sent out in handcuffs. That would go over well in the news, she thought. Suddenly, she heard a sound. She could feel a delicate vibration within Thomas’ chest. He was humming! 

“Thomas?” Delphine sat up. 

His humming continued. _No. He would never._ The humming turned to words. His voice was soft, and in almost a whisper.

“You’ve got me feeling emotions. Deeper than I’ve ever dreamed of…”

Thomas’ eyes slowly opened and immediately connected to Delphine’s whose eyes appeared shocked. 

Thomas smiled widely. “Del…phine. Look at you…” His speech was slow. With his free hand, he reached up to caress her cheek. “My dear, beautiful Delphine.” 

Her immediate reaction was to cry and to fold into his arm. However, Delphine stifled a chuckle instead. _Thomas? Are you high?_ His eyes were glassy, but still sparkled with their deep brown hue. 

Thomas’ smile faded to an expression of concern. “Why the glumness?”

_Stay strong_. “You’re mistaken. I am so happy to see you.” She wasn’t lying. She placed her hand against his, holding his hand against her cheek. They were both drawn to each other in their silence, as they explored each other through their eyes. Delphine noticed that her lips were now only a breath away from his. She wanted to kiss him more than anything, but she decided against it. She couldn’t kiss him while he was not himself. 

She sat back up, clasping his hand in hers. “I see you’ve been practicing the song.” 

“It is your favorite song, Delphine. I hear it whenever I think or dream about you.” He smiled and began humming the melody again.

Delphine didn’t know how to respond to his confession, but it made her feel closer to him in some way, special even.

“Were you dreaming of me?”

Thomas smirked. He didn’t say a word. He was a bit shy to respond and describe the vivid imagery of how he saw Delphine while dreaming. 

Delphine couldn’t hold back the chuckle this time as it escaped from her throat. “Well, I didn’t know you were even paying attention, considering Mariah Carey’s music is ‘passable background music at best’.”

“Who said THAT?”

“You, silly.”

“Noooo.” Thomas tilted his head backwards, but his response turned serious in tone. 

“If you say so, Mr. Grumpypants.”

Thomas laughed. “I am exponentially grumpy, aren’t I?”

“Don’t worry. I am becoming an expert at reading Thomas Hunt grumpiness.” 

Delphine leaned down and kissed his brow. She had never seen him high on drugs before. She honestly thought he would be more serious, if that were even possible. They must have given him some strong pain medication for whatever happened with his arm. Although amusing to witness, she was overcome by an unspeakable amount of relief because he was awake. She couldn’t stop herself from smiling, from touching him. At that moment, everything that happened with the nurses was meaningless, and it no longer bothered her anymore. All that mattered was him. He was awake. He was smiling. He was singing. _Her_ Thomas appeared to be alright. 

“Do you know who isn’t grumpy?” Thomas asked.

Delphine affectionately gazed into his eyes. “Who is that?”

Thomas gestured with his head for Delphine to come closer. Delphine’s ear stopped close to his lips. 

“You,” he gently whispered. Delphine sat back up and grinned. “And Carey Mary… Pariah Mariah… wait…”

“Mariah Carey?”

“Yes! Her!” Thomas quickly sat up straight, nearly falling forward into Delphine. 

“Whoa! Okay, Mr. Happy Pill.” Delphine helped him settle back against the pillows. “Be careful. We don’t want you hurting yourself any further.”

Thomas looked down at the sling. “Nah, una cosa de nulla.” He began code-switching. 

“No hablo italiano, Tomás.” 

“Scusa.”

Delphine shook her head and smiled. “Eres tan lindo.” 

“Sei così bella. Sei più bella di Mariah Carey.” 

She did not fully understand the last thing he said, but due to the softness in his gaze, she felt flustered. Her face must have matched the color of her thick, curly hair. 

“¿Cómo estás? How are you feeling?” Delphine asked.

Thomas beamed, staring at Delphine gently before he began singing again.

“I feel good. I feel nice. I’ve never felt so satisfied.”

Delphine placed her hand over his mouth. “Okay, silencio, por favor. We don’t want to disturb anyone here.” What she really meant was that she didn’t want to alert the nurses that she was in there with him. “So, you have proven you know my favorite song.” She felt his lips pucker against her palm. “I’ll remove my hand if you promise to stop singing.” 

Thomas nodded. His eyes turning serious in agreement. However, the moment Delphine removed her hand, he continued, but in a low whisper.

“I’m in love. I’m alive. Intoxicated. I am hiiiiiiiiiiigh.”

For a moment, Delphine’s heart sprinted within her chest as he sang the lyrics. The way he wouldn’t take his eyes off her. The way he squeezed her hand when he said “love.” She sensed he was singing to her. This was an unusual situation, so she tried not to think too much of it, especially since neither one of them had yet to utter those words. And especially since they were still taking it slow with their relationship.

“You definitely are, but I think you meant ‘flying high’.” Delphine started laughing. She could not believe how his entire demeanor changed. This was definitely an entertaining side to him; he was a bit more carefree. She decided to play along and not ask him about what happened until he was sober. However, she did have a lot to tease him about later. 

The singing went on, and Delphine decided to join him.


End file.
